Throughout the course, you will focus on ethical equestrianism and learn to train and manage horses in ways that meet their ethological needs.
Based at our beautiful Kirkley Hall campus, you will benefit from the opportunity to attend a range of development sessions and industry talks hosted on campus.
Using the latest research and technology, you will develop your coaching and mentoring abilities, supported by a variety of training and coaching modules. Explore the training methods that suit you with both in-hand and ridden options available.
Northumberland College Equestrian Centre is a British Horse Society approved training centre and livery yard.
We also have strong industry and academic links to help you can develop and apply your research skills both on and off site. You'll also learn from dedicated tutors, experienced within industry, up to date with current practice and contemporary research.
All our Higher Education courses are written specifically with the North East rural communities in mind, and to prepare our graduates for the future of their chosen sectors.
The course is timetabled over two days a week, to reduce travel costs and make studying accessible for mature learners and the self-employed.
Course fees are extremely competitively priced, less than £2000 than other similar offers within the North East (and you may be eligible for an undergraduate student loan.
You will need 48 UCAS tariff points to enrol on this course (either from A-Levels, a Level 3 course, or an Access to HE Diploma), plus GCSEs in English, Mathematics and a Science at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent qualifications).
In addition to academic qualifications, equine husbandry competence and experience is required and a commitment to an intellectual challenge, as well as a satisfactory reference.
Applicants interested in applying for Higher Education study in an animal or equine subject, but not yet able to meet the required qualifications for entry, may be interested in the Access to HE Diploma: Veterinary Science and Zoology.
International aAplicants:
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking), or an equivalent English Language qualification.
Accreditation of Prior Learning:
If you have achieved a qualification such as a HNC, or have gained credit at another Higher Education provider, you may be able to enter the course at Level 5.
For further information please contact the College’s admissions team on admissions@sunderlandcollege.ac.uk.
Study level | Cost | Additional fees |
---|---|---|
HE | Please enquire | Fees for September - £6165 (Correct at the time of published - fees subject to change) It is not possible to confirm fees for future academic years but the maximum increase each year will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The following course-related costs are included in the fees: - Annual £10 printing allowance - Loan of equipment required for modules (technical and training equipment, laboratory coat) The following course-related costs are NOT included in the fees: - Industry PPE - students will be expected to possess standard industry appropriate PPE As a minimum, PPE should include: - Riding hat to current standards (PAS015, ASTM F1163; SNELL E2001/2016; VG1-040) - £100-£200 - Long-riding boots - £120 – £300 - Gloves - £4-£40 - Jodhpurs - £20-£180 - Schooling whip - £10-£42 - Body protector (for polework and jumping) - £45-£335 - Weatherproof equipment - £75-£450 - Yard footwear - £40-£300 - Optional – laboratory coat - £15-30 - Optional field trips t £100 (approximately £30 each at current prices) Financial support - For more information on Student Finance please go to our Higher Education Financial Support page. |
Teaching:
Teaching is primarily face-to-face and includes theoretical lectures, practical demonstrations, seminars, group and individual tutorials and workshops, and occasional elements of online learning. (Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in the lectures in smaller groups.)
In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor.
Class sizes for equine specific modules are anticipated to be between 10 – 15 students.
Those modules that also feature within the FdSc Animal Welfare and Behaviour and FdSc Wildlife Conservation courses may have class sizes of up to 40 students.
Independent learning:
When not attending lectures, seminars and practical sessions or other timetabled session you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research, preparing coursework assignment and presentations, and preparing for examinations.
Your independent learning is supported by a range of facilities, including the Learning Resource Centre and Canvas, our virtual learning environment.
Overall workload:
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, around 15 hours’ independent learning and assignment activity, with each credit taken equating to a total study time of around 10 hours.
The following information gives you an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course -
Level 4 - 21% per cent of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity:
- Teaching, learning and assessment - 252 hours
- Independent learning - 948 hours
Level 5: 16 per cent of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity:
- Teaching, learning and assessment - 189 hours
- Independent learning - 861 hours
- Work Placement - 150 hours
Academic Support:
Our HE Academic Support Tutor provides help in the following areas:
- Study skills (including reading, writing, note-taking, and presentation skills)
- Written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy)
- Academic writing (including how to reference)
- Research skills (in conjunction with the learning centres)
- Critical thinking and understanding arguments
- Revision, assessment, and examination skills (including time management)
Teaching staff:
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team, whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior lecturers that are professional practitioners with considerable industry experience within the fields of equine management and coaching.
Our teaching is informed by the relevant practice within the sector and 100% of our lecturers have a teaching qualification.
Assessment:
The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor.
There are generally two formal or ‘summative’ assessments at the end of each module. Assessment methods include written assessments and examinations, individual and group presentations, scientific reports, portfolios and reflective reports, practical and practical/oral examinations and have been chosen to specifically reflect methods of assessment within industry.
The grades from formal assessment count towards your module mark.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework:
The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows:
Year 1 -
- 62% coursework
Year 2 -
- 88% coursework
- 12% practical exams
Feedback:
You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request form the module tutor. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.
We aim to provide you with feedback within 10 working days of hand-in (practice assessments) and 20 working days of hand-in (formal coursework assessment).
You should have achieved GCSEs in English and Mathematics at grades A* to C or 9 to 4, or Level 2 equivalent qualifications.
The course includes a requirement of 150 hours of work experience which can be conducted throughout the two years to suit the individual. This may consist of one or several work placements to support career progression.
The course benefits from interaction with a variety of local rural and equestrian enterprise and allied equine sector professionals.
In addition to attending lectures you would need to spend an extra 10-15 hours week on independent study which would included completing recommended reading and research for assessments.
The course runs over two years and requires significant independent study in addition to lecture attendance - usually around 10-15 hours weekly.
Timetables are normally available at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week.
This course will aim to provide direct progression opportunities to individuals within the fields of equine management, equestrian training and coaching and has been designed to appeal to students with a variety of previous equestrian experience The course will equip graduates with the knowledge and practise of ethical training and management techniques and the use of technology which will be of benefit to career progression within the equestrian sector, but also the wider animal and education sectors.
A variety of core and specialist modules are studied over the two years.
The curriculum has been designed to provide sound underpinning knowledge for all aspects of equine performance and management, including mammalian anatomy, physiology and nutrition, animal health and ethics and welfare.
Basic industry practical skills are developed from the course outset, alongside an equine training module which runs throughout both years focussing on behavioural modification based on equine learning theory. These modules offer students the opportunity to conduct either in-hand or ridden training, or a combination of both factors (subject to rider weight limit for equine welfare) for short or long-term goals, based on equine behaviour, cognition, physiology, and biomechanics.
Coaching modules are included in both years, which cater for those new to equestrian coaching but also those with significant prior coaching experience. Here, opportunities to develop knowledge of coaching theory accompany practical coaching sessions, use of emerging technology and reflective practise to maximise your personal development.
Academic skills modules run over the two years to develop academic communication, research techniques, use of software packages, project management and evaluative skills.
A business skills module run in the second year provides practical experience of event management and commercial enterprise to develop invaluable entrepreneurial thinking.
The course includes a requirement of 150 hours of work experience, which can be conducted throughout the two years to suit the individual. This may consist of one or several work placements to support career progression.
The emphasis within the first year is building underpinning theoretical knowledge and sound practical industry skills. These are then built upon and expanded and applied within a range of practical situations in the second year.
Modules:
This module map provides a list of the modules that make up your course. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. You must take modules worth a total of 120 credits at each level of the course.
Our teaching is informed by current practice and modules may change periodically to reflect developments in the sector. The modules (all compulsory) available on the course are as follows and each year consists of six 20 credit modules.
Year 1 for full-time students Level 4:
Semester 1 -
- Mammalian Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition
- Pre-Industry Skills
Semester 2 -
- Animal Health Management
- Introduction to Equestrian Coaching
Year Long Modules -
- Introduction to Academic Skills
- Preliminary Equine Training
Year 2 for full-time students Level 5:
Semester 1 -
- Ethics and Animal Welfare
Semester 2 -
- Equestrian Coaching for Performance
Year Long Modules -
- Industrial Experience
- Research Methods
- Intermediate Equine Training
- Event Management
University of Cumbria
The course is worth 240 credits.
Progression opportunities via BSc Top-Up courses to a BSc Honours degree are available on completion of this course.
Following this course, you could progress to employment such as:
– Coaching, management and training roles (£18,000 PA minimum)
– Behavioural modification (£20,000 PA minimum)
– Analysists/advisors, e.g. saddle/bridle/bit fitting, biomechanics, rein tension analysis (£20,000 PA minimum)
– Event and resource management (£20,000 PA minimum)
– Stud and breeding enterprises (£16,000 PA minimum)
– Equestrian sales, retail, and marketing (£15,000 PA minimum)
– Transport, import/export (£15,000 PA minimum)
– Insurance claims advisors (£19,000 PA minimum)
– Diagnostic laboratories
– Education: university, college, and school teaching (£22,000 PA minimum)
– Educational support (£18,000 PA minimum)
– Research and development for animal/agricultural industries (£18,000 PA minimum)
– Science communication and public engagement (£18,000 PA minimum)
– Animal welfare officers/inspectors (£19,000 PA minimum)
This is a Higher Education course with Sunderland College and is validated by the University of Cumbria.
Visit the University of Cumbria website here.
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